The present invention relates generally to photographic equipment and more particularly to a system for stabilizing a mobile camera relative to its main support means, in this example a cameraman's body. Hand held cameras are subject to undesirable motion from the body of a cameraman which results in unacceptable photographic prints. It is, therefore, desirable to stabilize the camera position, reduce to a minimum the transfer of body motion to the camera, and to permit the camera to be under stabilized control under both stationary and mobile conditions.
Prior proposed stabilizing devices for photographic camera equipment or other like devices have included various types of apparatus carried by the cameraman to facilitate stabilizing control of the camera. One prior art hand held camera stabilizer is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,945,428 in which an elongated rectangular frame was supported by shoulders of the cameraman, the camera being carried by the frame forwardly of the cameraman and the weight suitably counterbalanced at the other end of the frame. A somewhat similar parallel frame structure is shown in British Pat. No. 1,203,250 wherein the parallel support members are supported from the shoulders of a cameraman, the camera is mounted forwardly on a transverse member suspended from ends of the support members, and counterbalance springs support the opposite ends of the support members with a harness which encircles the waist of the cameraman. In one example, the camera is suspended from the ends of the support member.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,168, a camera is carried by a gimbal on the upper end of a single handle, the gimbal being connected to a pair of interconnected spring loaded arms which are pivotally supported from a harness worn on the body of a cameraman. Camera components are expanded so the center of gravity and center of moment of inertia of the expanded components are centered at the gimbal to provide isolation of movement of the cameraman's body from the camera.
Other prior art relating to the support of cameras which are used under mobile conditions such as on a vehicle, boat, airplane or helicopter and which employ mechanical support means for the camera carrying equipment in place of the cameraman's body are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,352,521; 3,467,350; British Pat. No. 1,391,362 and 866,524.
The prior proposed apparatus for use with a cameraman's body presented various types of problems. In the apparatus shown in Pat. No. 2,945,428 and British Pat. No. 1,203,250, the parallel bars which straddled the head of the cameraman and which were supported on the shoulders of the cameraman tended to limit mobility of the cameraman, especially in passing through doorways in turning or panning since the entire body of the cameraman was required to be turned. In addition, movement about a tilt axis; that is, downwardly or upwardly, was quite limited.
In the apparatus as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,168, the cameraman had excellent mobility and the camera isolation would permit movement of the cameraman's body relative to the gimbal through almost 360.degree.. However, in the apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 4,017,168, inertial movement of the camera system was difficult to precisely control with one hand because of the tendency of the system to hunt or seek its final position because of the inertia forces acting at one point. Another disadvantage of this apparatus was that the support load was carried at the front of the body of the cameraman with the result that a strain was placed on the back of the cameraman, if he were to maintain an erect position. To compensate for such loading, the cameraman often was required to lean backwardly or to brace himself against the forward, virtually overhanging weight.
Thus, generally speaking, prior art hand controlled and stabilized camera mounting apparatus, while vastly improving stabilization of the camera and isolating the camera from unwanted motions of the cameraman's body, still included problems of precise control of the camera position relative to the cameraman's body without imposing undue stress or strain on the cameraman's body. In this respect, it will be understood that the weight of a camera unit, together with a film magazine, a camera motor, the weight of the structural apparatus and other accessories such as a television camera, a television viewfinder, television components may weigh between 20 and 40 pounds. To carry such a weight which is not properly supported on the cameraman's body will cause undue fatigue and strain or injury to the back of the cameraman.